Sweden to watch British interests in Iran

July 12, 2012|Reuters

* UK closed embassy in Iran after November raids

* Britain expelled Iran diplomats from London

* Oman last month said would represent Iran in UK

LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday Swedenwould look after its interests in Iran as part of a dealhammered out after the UK closed its Tehran embassy late lastyear at the height of a diplomatic confrontation.

Iranian protesters broke into two British diplomaticcompounds in Tehran in November, ransacking offices and burningBritish flags in protest against new sanctions.

The incident sparked a major row between the two countries,with Britain shutting its embassy in Tehran and then expellingall Iranian diplomats from London.

Oman said last month it had started representing Iran inLondon, indicating a possible slight thawing in Anglo-Iranianrelations.

Sweden's foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday it hadagreed to perform the same role for Britain in Iran.

A new British Interests Section would open in Sweden'sembassy in Tehran from July 15, Britain's foreign office said. It would provide emergency consular services and look afterBritish Embassy staff and property in the Islamic state.

"We have had an embassy in Iran for many years. And wewould like to do so again in the future. But until that timearrives, we are confident that our interests in Tehran will bewell looked after by the Swedish Embassy," the foreign officesaid in a statement.

Senior diplomats from the European Union and Iran are tomeet on July 24 for technical talks on Tehran's disputed nuclearprogramme to try to salvage diplomatic efforts to resolve adecade-long standoff.

(Reporting by Tim Castle in London and Mia Shanley inStockholm; Editing by Andrew Heavens)